Why I’m Not Tired of Winter

Here it is past the middle of March, the temperatures are still routinely in the 20s, and I’m not going crazy.  How is this?

This winter has been really pleasant for me.  So many people I know have recently traveled to Florida and Hawaii, and I don’t long to do the same. 

I had to stop and think about why I feel so content this winter.  If it is anything in my control, I will want to keep it in mind for the future.  I might find myself feeling cabin fever again someday.

Here is what I’ve come up with:

1.  We have had good snow most of the time.  Obviously, this is out of my hands, but it makes such a difference to my children and me.  Cold and snowless equals staying indoors way too much.  Cold with snow equals bundling up and playing outside a lot.  Fresh air, exercise and having fun are great ways to keep the mood up.

2.  I purchased new winter boots.  For several years, I’ve been wearing boots that left my toes chilly.  Warm toes contribute greatly to quality of life for a Minnesotan in winter.

3.  We have been meeting up with other homeschoolers on a weekly basis just to play and visit.  (We still do weekly classes and occasional field trips with a group as well, but it is something different to gather simply for the enjoyment of it.) This has involved visiting many new parks as weather allows.  Over the winter, we have met at sledding hills, indoor playgrounds and swimming pools.  Again, it is getting out of the house and being active.  Having others expecting us makes us more likely to consistently head out to the YMCA or whatever the case may be, and it has truly helped to pass the time.

4.  I have been very flexible about school work.  If my kids ask to play outside, I say go for it.  We can jump back into our school work a little later.  And we do, with everyone feeling refreshed.

The moral of the story: make sure you are properly equipped for the conditions at hand, and make sure to get out of the house and enjoy the season you find yourself in as much as possible. 

Vote

Today, of course, is the election here in the U.S. I will be heading out to the polls, children in tow, a little later. I won’t tell you how to vote, but I hope you will vote.

I hope you will vote your conscience, and be civil to others who may vote differently from you.

I was recently asked my advice on which candidates in our area to vote for, “as a Christian”. Well, I can tell you which candidates I prefer, and why. I won’t pretend, though, that there are certain candidates, or certain issues, that one must vote for to be “more Christian” or a “better person”. There are so many issues to consider. Two different people, both with the goal of improving their community or promoting “family values”, might approach those goals in completely different ways. That doesn’t make one person good and one bad.

Please. Go vote. Be respectful to others. Be kind. Then move forward, respectfully, kindly, after the ballots have been counted. That is all.

Small town, big town

I grew up in a small town. I can relate to the Miranda Lambert song “Famous in a Small Town.” Through the school years, it was easy to find yourself in the newspaper fairly regularly. Most everyone knew everyone else. It was the kind of place where you were almost certain to see people you knew anywhere you went.

Now I live in a much larger town. There are pros and cons to either big or small. I have come to appreciate the convenience of a larger town. Businesses tend to have longer hours, and there are just so many more stores, restaurants, parks, museums, etc. to choose from. The main con in my mind, other than traffic, is the very lack of “everyone knows everyone else.” There are tens of thousands of people living in our town. It’s not unusual for us to go out on errands without seeing anyone we know, or to play at the park without seeing anyone we know, etc.

I was pleasantly surprised to experience that small town feel last weekend. Our town was having its annual celebration of, I don’t know, just of community I suppose. There doesn’t seem to be any particular occasion, but there is a 5k race and a parade.

My daughter and I did the 5k (better late than never in getting that “summer” 5k in with her – good thing she was patient as she waited for my knee to heal up). We saw several people we know at the race. Nice. We then headed to the parade, and by coincidence, we ended up right next to people we know as we watched. In the parade itself, we saw the kids’ ice skating instructor, my son’s current baseball coach, a baseball teammate, a friend, our Pastor, a friend’s big sister, a fellow homeschool mom, a former teacher, a former classmate, my husband, and a lot of familiar faces from political events. It felt small-town to me in the best way.

Like I said, I enjoy the conveniences that a larger community can offer, but I don’t want to feel like a stranger in a strange land. I am glad that our big town can feel like a small town sometimes.

P.S. I don’t know these people, but isn’t it awesome?!?

Night to Unite

We enjoyed a potluck with neighbors last night in celebration of Night to Unite.  Do you celebrate this where you live?

With our busy lives which often keep us out of our homes, it’s all too easy not to get to know our neighbors.  Back when I was working full time, I remember actually wondering if there was anything in my neighborhood for National Night Out (the previous name for what is now called Night to Unite).  I was gone so much of the time for my job, that I literally did not know if my neighbors gathered to celebrate.  Back then, I also wasn’t present in my own neighborhood for Halloween trick-or-treaters.  Because I have made the decision to stay home with my children, I have had more opportunities to get to know some of my neighbors.  Even now, most of our interactions are with other families that have children.  Still, it’s a step in the right direction.

Night to Unite brings the whole neighborhood together, everyone who can make it.  Through this event, we have met several more families.  I must say, it’s a good thing.

Night to Unite is considered a crime prevention initiative.  When people know their neighbors, they are more likely to notice if something is amiss.  They are more likely to look out for each other.  They are more likely to call upon each other when a need arises and to offer to pitch in when a need is observed.  In other words, what could simply be a row of houses with no connection becomes a true community.

If you haven’t participated in Night to Unite, I do recommend it.  If you already know your neighbors, wonderful!  If you don’t, I think it will be well worth your while to make the effort to meet them.  That sense of community can enrich your life, as well as make for a safer neighborhood.

 

Love this!

They put in this great addition to the water fountain at one of our local parks.

Who hasn’t awkwardly tried to tip a bottle just so to fill it at a water fountain? I love having a better way available at one of our regular haunts. I also like that it has a counter indicating how many disposable water bottles were not needed because of it. Very encouraging.

I’ve been good about bringing water bottles with us since I stopped drinking soda last year. I’m sure this one change has saved our family budget hundreds of dollars (if not more), as well as creating less waste and being a healthier choice.

My daughter informed me today that a plastic water bottle can only be recycled once, because it is recycled into a lower grade plastic. (She is always reading, learning, and sharing.) I used to imagine that bottles and cans could be melted down and reformed over and over again. Knowing that’s not the case, at least for water bottles, will make me even more mindful of packing a water bottle (or three or four) when we head out the door.

I appreciate these small conveniences that will encourage us and others to bring a bottle from home.

I hate to say it, but…

If anyone out there is wondering how the marathon training is going, I have bad news. The marathon is less than two weeks away, and it’s not going to happen for me this time. My knee started to bother me a bit in early March. It really didn’t seem like a big deal at the time. I thought that taking a few extra days off and taking it easy would be all I needed. In the end, I took more like two weeks off before gradually building my mileage back up. But then I was feeling great. I was feeling optimistic. I had certainly gotten behind on my training, but I felt like I would be able to do it.

I had gotten back up to a pain free 12 miler and felt fantastic. Yes, there are still many more miles in a marathon, but at that point, I thought I had time to slowly build up to a 20 mile training run. My particular training plan would have taken me all the way to 26 if I had been able to keep up with it, but I know some training plans only go up to 20. I felt okay with how things were going.

Then, the last straw.

I had set out for a long training run about two weeks ago, and just over 6.5 miles into it, my knee started to kill! I hobbled home and told my husband that this was probably it. No longer enough time to let it rest and build back up.

You’re probably wondering if I have sought any medical care. I have not.

Like I said, back when I had that first pain, I really thought it was no big deal and that some TLC would do it. Now, I could go get it checked, and maybe I should, but I haven’t. It’s too late to get ready for the marathon (this time), and it doesn’t affect me in regular life. Someone did advise me that it could be caused by unequal muscle strength in my legs (i.e. the front leg muscles, and to a lesser extent, the back leg muscles are strengthened through running, but the side muscles really are not – I haven’t been doing anything to hone in on the side muscles of my legs).

I should also admit that I dislike going to the doctor. I go for my annual check-ups, and I take my children for their check-ups and for other needs as they arise. For myself, though, I usually have to be pretty concerned to go in. I think it’s an effect of growing up poor.

So, when and if I decide to try tackling a full marathon in the future, I think I just might go have things checked out and seek some expert advice based on my personal experiences. But not necessarily before then. Feel free to offer your two cents if you have strong opinions about any of it. I’m willing to listen and consider advice.

On the bright side, with the exception of about two weeks off in early March, this was the first time I’ve run through the winter since I took up running in 2008 with the C25K.

In other news, I’m keeping busy making plans for school next year, including putting thought and research time into the idea of giving my kids more choice and flexibility in their learning. If you happen to look at my book list, you’ll see a couple titles that hint at that. If you’ve read about why we homeschool, you also know that tailoring learning to the interests and abilities of our children is one of the reasons we decided to homeschool in the first place. I don’t know if I could ever go all the way to unschooling, but I do think people learn more when it is something that they are interested in and have a reason for learning.  It has been interesting reading at the least.    So far, we have a science curriculum purchased at the special request of my daughter ~ it looks good, a music theory curriculum purchased at the request of both children, and a lot of historical novels selected (some purchased, and some available from the library) to read together next year.  We have a math program that both kids are loving, each at their own level, and phonics and grammar programs that have been helpful.  I went to a talk on literary analysis last month, and I’m all stoked to incorporate a bit more of that into our discussion of the books we read.  See, that’s something that particularly interests me.  I will try to restrain myself a bit if they don’t share my interest.  The last thing I want to do is turn them off books and reading.  I always try to walk the fine line of challenging them, but not frustrating them, and spending time on things that they enjoy, but instilling the discipline it takes to do something even when it isn’t fun.

I’ve also been to some used book sales recently and purchased books on geology projects, how various machines work, Greek mythology, a family devotion book ~ things that we can enjoy together that aren’t necessarily part of a curriculum.

In the food world, we have just started a new CSA season.  Thank goodness!  I had gotten into a cooking rut.  The CSA provides a lot of inspiration, and so far, the recipes in the newsletter have been outstanding.  I’ve finally found a recipe for sunchokes that I liked!!  I’ve mentioned that we had an unseasonably warm winter in MN this year.  We were having an especially warm spell in mid-March, and my husband decided to plant radishes, arugula and spinach.  We had to cover them a few times, but now we are enjoying eating a few fresh veggies from the garden.  We weren’t even able to start planting by this time last year!  What a difference from one year to the next.  Our mint has also come up in full force.  My word, that is one prolific plant!

So, there it is.  Some good.  Some bad.  Keeping busy with my little ones.  Looking forward to summer and all the new adventures it may bring.

I hope life is treating you well. 

 

 

Glancing back and looking ahead

Funny way to put it, but with another new year upon us, I thought I’d better take a peek back at my goals for 2011 and see how I did.  While I’m at it, I want to also give a little thought to the upcoming year.  So there you have it.

Last year, I proclaimed the following goals for 2011:

GOAL:  Finish The Chronicles of Narnia series with my family.  We have just started the second book, and we are all enjoying it so much!

STATUS: Completed!  We read the entire series together and loved it!

GOAL:  Travel!  My husband and I both got passports for the first time (shocking, I know), and I would love to use them!

STATUS: Completed!  My husband and I both got our first stamps in the new passports when we visited Costa Rica in March.  We have not used our children’s passports yet, but they still had a travel opportunity within the U.S. when we all visited Virginia in August.  They were both great trips!

GOAL:  Continue trying out new recipes with an emphasis on healthful foods.

STATUS:  Yes, indeed.  I’m not perfect in this area (or any other, for that matter), but I continue to experiment in the kitchen, particularly with our CSA foods.

GOAL:  Go on lots of bicycle rides with my children this summer.  Last summer marked the end of training wheels at our house, and it makes such a difference.  We can really move now!

STATUS:  We did some biking together, but not as much as I would have liked.  My bike had some issues, and I didn’t get it fixed right away.  We did more “mom walks or jogs while the kids bike way ahead” trips to the park, which worked out pretty well until my bike was in good working order.

GOAL:  Plant an herb garden and make good use of it!!

STATUS:  Done.
GOAL:  Consistently get enough sleep.  This means making sure I go to bed at a decent time!

STATUS:  This is a total work in progress.  It’s still an area of struggle for me.

Some things I have in mind for 2012:

*  Train for and run my first marathon!  I am excited and slightly terrified by the prospect.  My goal is to train well and finish.  Seriously hoping for no injuries to get in the way.

* Continuing to enjoy being active with my kids.  This includes things like sledding in the winter (if we ever get more snow), and biking and swimming in the summer.

* Explore trails around the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.  I got my husband a book called Best Hikes of the Twin Cities for Christmas, and I look forward to checking out some of these recommended hikes.  Before we had kids, we did a lot more hiking and camping together and both enjoyed it.  I’d like to get back to it a little more.

* Be more deliberate in my prayer life.  I am not sure exactly what this is going to look like, and I probably won’t have it figured out by January 1st, but I’m looking into some books that might help me find the structure that I’m looking for.  Prayer is already part of my life, but I want to give it more priority and more thought in my everyday life.

* Plant and use an herb and vegetable garden.

* Continue avoiding caffeine.  I still have a little whenever I eat chocolate, but I no longer drink soda.  I want to keep this up, because I think it has been good for me.  It’s been nine months now!

* Keep cooking!  Cooking at home most of the time is good for our budget and our health.

* Keep reading!  We haven’t decided on the next great series to tackle as a family, but we have enjoyed many books together.  I want to continue reading both with my kids and for myself.  There is so much to be gained from a good book!

* Keep learning!  As a homeschooling mom, learning is naturally a high priority for me.  A very important goal of mine is to give my children the time and attention to help them learn, as well as the books, materials,  and activities that will enhance their opportunities to learn and grow.  I also hope to be a role model for lifelong learning.  As I’ve said before, I am not perfect in this (or any other) area, but it is very important to me, and I will do my best!

As I write, I can see that I don’t have much that’s brand-new for me.  I see mainly “continue this” and “keep on doing that,” but you know, maintenance can take as much effort as a new achievement.  I won’t beat myself up about it.  My main focus at this point in my life is on caring for my family and looking out for our health, and I think these goals reflect that.

What are your goals for 2012?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

My Martha Moment

Okay, so I like to cook.  I like to craft.  And I have a confession to make.  I don’t get into Martha Stewart.  It’s not that I actively dislike her.  I don’t dislike her at all, really.  I just don’t watch her shows or read her magazines.  I could probably learn a lot from Martha.  As I understand it, she has perfected the things that I like to dabble in.  For whatever reason, though, she just hasn’t appealed to me.  I think she just strikes me as a little more formal than I tend to be, or wish to be.

And then…

Thanks to my CSA newsletter, I have gotten a little taste of Martha’s expertise.  The woman knows what she is doing.  At least when it comes to her most unusual and fabulous salsa recipe that I tried.  I simply must pass this on.  It’s too good to keep to myself!

Cranberry-Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 minced jalapeno
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup halved cranberries
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• Pita crisps or tortilla chips

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 minced jalapeno (seeds removed for less heat, if desired), and 1/4 cup chopped red onion.
2. Add 2 ripe avocados, cut into 1/4-inch pieces, 3/4 cup halved cranberries, drained well on paper towels, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper; toss gently to combine. Serve with Pita Crisps or tortilla chips, as desired.

I thought it sounded strange, but worth a try.  After all, I had two pints of cranberries and about six avocados in my refrigerator, thanks again to my CSA.  We loved it!  I will be making this again, perhaps this weekend.  While salsa isn’t exactly standard fare for Christmas, this particular salsa has a holiday flair both in appearance and taste.

Try it!  You’ll be glad you did!

Tips to Make Gift-Giving Meaningful this Christmas

We’ve all heard complaints about the commercialism that has largely overtaken the Christmas season. With people getting maced at Black Friday sales, who can argue? On the other hand, it is so fun to give gifts to the people closest to us (and sometimes well beyond). How can we strike a balance? How can we make gift-giving a part of our holiday celebrations without going overboard or losing sight of the meaning of Christmas?

Well, first of all, I must say that the appropriate level of gift-giving is something we all need to decide for ourselves. We all have different traditions, different budgets, and so on. These are some ideas to make gift-giving meaningful based on my own experiences. If you find an idea that will help you, hurray! That’s why I am sharing! If you have other ideas to share, please do so in the comments. I would love to hear them! Now let’s get started.

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh

We give our children each three gifts for Christmas, in remembrance of the gifts that the Wise Men brought to baby Jesus. The gifts themselves have nothing to do with gold, frankincense and myrrh, but it’s just the idea that, “We get three presents just like baby Jesus!” For us, Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus, and we try to reflect that even in our gift-giving.

Want, Need, Wear, Read

Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. This is an idea I’ve heard from other moms that is intended to keep the gift-giving to a reasonable level. Parents out there, isn’t it oh-so-easy to buy things for our children? I know I am more likely to splurge on something for my kids than myself. This gift-giving plan is another way to curb the temptation to buy every cute outfit, every enriching toy, and every fantastic book we see. I really like this idea. It encourages a bit of practicality and a bit of splurge. Sounds like a good balance to me!

Drawing Names

Drawing names among family members or friends is a great way to include everyone while reducing the shopping frenzy and expense involved with buying something for everyone. If you have fewer people to shop for, you might also be able to put more thought into your purchase to make it a more special gift for the recipient. In an ideal world, we could find personally meaningful gifts for everyone on our list, but the reality is that takes a lot of time and thought, and it can be hard to accomplish that level of meaning many times over. It is also a way to include children, whose funds are usually pretty limited, giving them the opportunity to choose one thoughtful gift for someone they love.

Hand-Made Gifts

This is another way to include everyone in gift-giving without breaking the bank.

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Here are some ideas of things to do instead of or in addition to gifts within your family:

Heifer International

Donate in a loved one’s name for the purchase of a sheep, goat, chickens, or a variety of other items in an effort to end world hunger.

Samaritan’s Purse

Similar to Heifer International, Samaritan’s Purse allows you to donate in a loved one’s name to feed a hungry baby for a week, support an orphanage, contribute to building a school and so many more possibilities.

Operation Christmas Child

Pack up a shoebox of gifts that will be sent to a needy child overseas.  This is one that we like to do, and my children enjoy choosing items to give to a girl or boy their own age.

World Vision

Again, similar to Heifer International and Samaritan’s Purse, this is another opportunity to donate in a loved one’s name to contribute to a community in need.  Some examples are a share in a well, goats, chickens, and business loans for women.

Toys for Tots

Help the Marines provide toys to children in need.

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There are many more possibilities, from adopting a local family to volunteering at a soup kitchen to sending care packages to troops overseas.  There are so many ways to brighten someone’s holiday season, and it really makes the season more special when we look beyond our own four walls.

Wishing you peace and joy this holiday season!

Why I Started Blogging

My husband kept telling me I should start a blog. He must have had a hunch I would enjoy it. For quite a while, I shrugged the idea off. Some of my thoughts on the matter:

~ Who am I to write a blog?
~ I’m busy enough the way it is.
~ I would be too nervous to put my personal thoughts ‘out there’ for anyone and everyone to see.

Over a matter of months, though, the idea kept creeping back to mind. It did seem like something I would enjoy doing (as long as I could get over the fact that people might actually read it – yes, I am pretty shy). Eventually, I decided to take the plunge and give it a try.

I started Be Not Simply Good just over a year ago. It has served as an online journal of sorts, a place to share, a place to put goals in writing. As the title suggests, I am trying to “be good for something” in this life by making good choices in the little things. This blog serves as a tool for being more mindful of my choices. Not only does writing about my life lead me to put more thought into things, the very fact that I am sharing my goals gives me a greater sense of accountability. Knowing that someone else may benefit from some of my experiences makes it all the better!

Over the past year, as I have been sharing here and reading other blogs, I have found that connections with others are a fun aspect of blogging. I’ve “met” people through blogging that I would never have met otherwise.

I find inspiration all around me. I believe that we can all learn so much from each other. My Grandma inspired me to see the positive in all circumstances and to work hard. My parents inspired me to live within my means and avoid debt. My husband inspires me to never stop learning. My in-laws have inspired me to get off the couch and be more active. My children inspire me to see all the wonder in the world and to interact with the world around me. “My” CSA farmer (yes, I claim him as my very own) has inspired me to give more consideration to what I put in my body. Fellow bloggers inspire me to try new recipes, new workouts, and to be more open. Honestly, my family and friends inspire me in more ways than I could list in a brief blog post.

Blogging has been such a positive experience. I hope to keep connecting, keep learning, and keep sharing. Blessings on your day!